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Vultum tuum deprecabuntur

cycle of motets to run concurrently with the celebration of Mass; composed for Milan Cathedral probably between 1459 and 1472; 4vv; this reconstruction switches the probable order of the last two items and interpolates the Ave Maria and Tu lumen movements

Introduction

Josquin cannot have been much above the age of thirty when he wrote the motet cycle Vultum tuum deprecabuntur, and it may be a symptom of his still modest status as a singer at Milan and his relative inexperience as a composer that the work conforms so closely to established models. Like similar cycles written for Milan Cathedral by Compère, Gafurius, Gaspar van Weerbeke and others, the Vultum tuum deprecabuntur motets were intended to accompany the celebration of Mass, not as interludes but rather as a simultaneous sacred ‘concert’: in some of the Milanese cycles the various motets have actually been labelled ‘loco [= in place of the] Introitus’, ‘loco Gloria’, ‘loco Credo’, and so on. Strictly speaking, such substitution did not interfere with the liturgical act: provided that the celebrant spoke the correct liturgical texts, the choir was free to perform whatever it liked. In practice, few churches outside Milan adopted this curious practice. Although parts of Vultum tuum deprecabuntur found their way into the repertoires of other singers, there is no reason to believe that they were used in the Milanese fashion; most of the motets in the cycle address the Blessed Virgin Mary, and they could easily have been put to other devotional purposes. So scattered have the constituent parts of the cycle now become that their intended order is in some doubt. This performance follows the reconstruction by Patrick Macey, including the ‘little’ Ave Maria as the Offertory substitute and Tu lumen as the Elevation motet—neither being previously associated with the cycle.

Recordings

'Wonderfully fresh and intelligently paced performances from a choir who can make 16th-century polyphony sound the most natural in the world' (Gramophone)'The choir is outstanding in tone, precision, and rhythmic stability, and the engineering is stunning' (Fanfare, USA)» More

The all-male vocal ensemble Cinquecento have won great praise for their recordings of Renaissance rarities. Their tone, vocal flexibility, collective and individual musicianship and commitment to their chosen repertoire places them at the very for ...» More

Undefiled virgin, who bore the Redeemer of the world,
and after the birth remained an unviolated virgin, mother of God,
intercede for us, and do not despise our prayers
because we call upon your name with our unworthy mouth,
O glorious mistress, and continually pray to Christ for us.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus Christ the Son of the living God;
and blessed be thy holy breasts,
which gave milk to the king of kings and our Lord God.

With our whole mind we beg you,
that, as your Son our Lord
Jesus Christ we have sometimes displeased,
in the opposite manner and with unchanging habits
may we through you be pleasing to him for ever.
Accordingly, wondrous virgin,
do not despise our prayers because with unworthy mouth
we presume to call upon your holy name.

Josquin’s four-voice Mente tota starts with motivic imitation between the voices; from ‘ideo ne despicias’ onwards the contrapuntal texture makes room for homophonic declamation, which guarantees a clear comprehension of the text. The alternation of duets for high and low voices with tutti passages not only creates variety, but also highlights the structure of the prayer.

We beg you, with our whole mind,
that, as we have sometimes, displeased thy Son our Lord
Jesus Christ, in the opposite way with unchangeable minds
may we, through you, be pleasing to him.
So, miraculous virgin, do not despise our prayers, because
with our unworthy mouth we presume to invoke thy holy name.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy mother of God, pray for us.
Holy virgin of virgins, intercede for us.

Christ, Son of God, our Saviour,
who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Christ, Son of God, truest salvation of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of thy holy mother
help us and take away our tribulation.

Pray for us, perpetual virgin
from whom light has arisen in the darkness
for those right in heart,
hear us in our tribulation,
and obtain pardon for our sins
from the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.